Shu’mata Camp is located in the West Kilimanjaro area of northern Tanzania.
West Kilimanjaro is a remote and little-visited safari area which is situated to the north of Mount Meru and runs up to the border with Kenya.
The area is best known for its stunning views over Mount Kilimanjaro. The sight of elephants walking across savanna plains against the backdrop of the snow of the famous mountain is one of the continent’s most enduring images. These shots are generally taken from Amboseli, over on the Kenyan side of the border, a fact that has always really annoyed the Tanzanians, who feel that in the past Kenya has tried to create the impression to the outside world that Kilimanjaro is on their side of the border. West Kilimanjaro is Tanzania’s answer to Amboseli.
The great advantage that this area has over Amboseli is that it experiences considerably lower safari traffic. The two places are a world apart. Over the border, the park is dominated by large mass-market lodges, whilst over this side there’s just a handful of small tented camps.
If you do want to include that view of Kilimanjaro in your trip, which so many people do, then this area is usually much more convenient to combine with Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
The camps here are to a high standard. They are all relatively small and are all focused on high-quality and authentic safari activities.
Set deep in traditional land at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Shu’Mata Camp consists of five large East African tents situated on a hill with magnificent views in all directions. In front of the camp, bush savannah melts into the slopes of towering Mount Kilimanjaro and the private veranda of each tent opens up onto this magnificent panorama. Large gauze windows let in the spectacular vistas. Elegant dressing tables, hanging cupboards, and nostalgic trunks create an atmosphere of vintage safari. Ensuite bathrooms decorated with colorful Maasai art feature flushable toilets and open-air showers. Old-fashioned water jugs and enameled wash basins hark back to colonial times.
Meals are served beneath the ornate chandelier in the elegant mess tent, which has been decorated in three different themes, from vintage safari to Arabian nights and safari baroque. An open fireplace under the African skies provides a focal point for guests to gather and listen to the sounds of the night after dinner. Game drives in open vehicles and walking safaris in the company of Maasai warriors explore the breathtaking scenery.
